Martinsburg daily gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1887-1887, 1887-05-31
ALLIGATOR HUNTING.
SHOOTING A FEMALE NURSING 4
NEST or YOUNG ONES.

NEST or YOUNG ONES.
= Lively BIT Of Experience Down IN
Elorida-Rapid Retreat from wound
Cd Mother AIiigater-A Shot Just IN
Time.
Have You ever enjoyed an alligator
hunti i you have not my experience
may be interesting. Before starting ont
was told that alligator hunting was an
exciting sport. found 1t particularly so.
..he other day we chartered ! steam
launch Tor the trip. Our party consisted
Of five, who had never seen an alligator in
his native home, and the captain of the
launch, who was an old sportsman In III
hgator hunting. We were armed with
good rifles, and had full supply Of am
munition. Our destination was Lake Cy
press and Cypress river, where reports
said the alligators were plentiful. The
trip across the lake was very fine, and in
the course of an hour we arrived at tho
mouth of Distan canal, which connects
the Cypress lake with Cypress river, and
Is about ten miles long. 1t il cut through
9 country Of rich tropical growth. In an
hour and half we reached q smaller
lake, and on the opposite side was the
wished for Cypress river. Our trolling
line had resulted in fine mess Of fish.
Finding good camping ground weR
landed, built fire and began cooking the
catch, which, with our other stores, fur
nished an excellent meal
We then pushed our way up the river,
and were soon among tho alligators. The
FIRST we saw was . good sized creature
over eight feet long, and am not likely
to forget it for some time. The animal
lay apparently asleep ON the bank among
the tall grass and palmetto bushes. TIE
captain raised his rifle and blazcd away.
His aim was good and the ball struck the
right eye. Instead of making for tho
water, as wounded alligators generally do,
the creature lay quite still. We all be-
lieved it dead, and working the boat tc
shore, we leaped on the bank with q shout
of victory. One Of the party and myself
caught the prize by the tail and cntieay-
ored to pull 1t further up the bank while
we hailed our companions. But the alli-
gator was not dead. With one flip Of the
tail it sent us heels upwards In less time
than it takes to write the fact. The rest
of the party began to beat hasty retreat
toward the boat while was picking my
self up.
A RUN FOR DEAR LIFE.
At that moment the captain shouted to
run for dear life, as we had s.hit q hornets
nest. " The alligator was female and
was nursing nest Of young. The rest Of
the party got safely on the boat, but as /
was nearest the wounded alligator her
sound eye soon detected me, and the chase
began. With wide open mouth bristlins
with sharp teeth she made for me, and
took to my heels. BY some means the an
imal got between the boat and me and my
retreat was cut of. was not long in dis
covering that was ON q small island
The alligator appeared every moment to |
grow larger and larger to my distorted
vision. was fairly cornered, and at last |
took to the water, forgetting in my fright
that an alligator is as formidable In the I
water as on land. As / dashed into the
river Mrs. Alligator was close upon me.
expected every moment to have those
wide open jaws shut about my body. I
There stood, up to my waist In the river,
and within six feet Of me was the mad
dened alligator, one eye running with
blood, the other like . burning coal.
could have shot her easily, but found that
my rifle was not loaded and all my am
munition was In the boat.
was In despair and considering wheth-
er 70 swim to the boat or club my rifle and
light, when heard . rifle crack, followed
quickly by another, and the alligator was
, corpse. The party then landed, built
nre, and dried my clothes while the
others ate their dinner. Somehow I did
not have much appetite left. We re-em-
barked and started for more aIligators.
lid not leave the boat after that, but with
he rest did some fair shooting. We
Killed nine, piled AL the carcasses In the
'Dw boats behind the launch, and took